Chapter 1629: Chapter 1629: It Doesn’t Matter How It Ends
Yiyi was momentarily at a loss for words.
"You could have told me from the start." Then she wouldn’t have misunderstood him for forcibly taking her away, holding a grudge all these days.
"I didn’t want you to get involved in these dangers. Their target is the Ji Corporation, and I didn’t want you caught up in those political intrigues." The schemes between nations could bring trouble if meddled with too much. After all, politics never discern right from wrong; the more you know, the more dangerous it is.
He only hoped for her to be safe, not to step into filth and bloodshed. He wanted her to keep her hands clean and be a happy, sunny girl.
"Yiyi, can you forgive me?" he asked with eager anticipation.
"Can I not forgive you? Everything you did leaves no room for blame." Yiyi gave a bitter smile.
Despite the domineering and barbaric methods, everything was for her sake, from a position of protecting her, leaving one at a loss on how to reproach.
Ling Kong sighed in relief and said tenderly:
"Then come back, and once I capture Russell, I’ll personally take you back."
"No—" Yiyi firmly shook her head, "Thank you, but Brother Ling Kong, I don’t need it."
Ling Kong’s smile froze instantly, his voice urgent: "Yiyi, what do you mean by this? Didn’t you say you forgave me?"
"Brother Ling Kong, I forgive you, but it doesn’t mean I agree with your ways." She would rather he had told her earlier about Russell; she could have helped think of solutions. This wasn’t just his problem; Russell had deceived her, too. She also had the right to be involved.
Moreover, she wanted to participate, to face it together with him, to deal with the bad guys together.
Not to be treated like a porcelain doll, shielded behind towering walls, terrified of even the slightest crack, worried about being tarnished with a touch.
This kind of protection made her feel fearful and repressed, feeling she had lost her freedom, her identity.
"You always make me feel like, in front of you, I’m just a fool, an incapable weakling. I really hate that feeling," she said, her voice passionate.
"My life should be lived by myself, not by you designing a smooth path, crafting a beautiful environment, making me live like a delicate doll. You enjoy this kind of protection, fulfilling your own chauvinistic mindset, but I don’t want your protection; I’m not your doll either."
"..." Ling Kong’s heart trembled, shocked and pained, not expecting she felt this way, his handsome face pale, "I am not..."
"Not what? You want to say, everything you do is for my good? But that’s just your belief that you’re doing right by me, not considering how I actually feel."
Yiyi felt very uncomfortable inside.
"Perhaps you all think I’m young, immature, not knowing what’s good for me. But I also have the right to choose the life I want to live, the path I want to take. I was proud of myself for choosing ten years ago to walk a path of independence, not relying on anyone.
But later, I realized, it wasn’t like that at all. I never truly stepped out of your protective circle. You don’t understand, that moment when self-respect and pride crumbled, I don’t like this kind of protection."
"I’m sorry." Ling Kong said with a heartache.
"You have nothing to be sorry for; you all are great. It’s just that this kind of goodness isn’t what I want. Brother Ling Kong, we’ve never started, so there’s no need to end—let’s just leave it at that!" Though Yiyi felt somewhat uncomfortable, it was only a first brush with romance’s flavor, not too deep, so she could easily let it go.
